The Importance of "Boy Time"

I'm one of those mom's who likes to participate. We're going to the beach? I'm down. We're going on a hike? Let me get my shoes. Bowling? Oh, I'm going - and I'll try to beat all you boys.

But in a house where I am the lone female, sometimes I just have to sit out, whether I want to or not.

It's important for the boys to spend time with just their dad, and let's face it, Hubby is going to do things much differently with them when I'm not around.

When it's just the boys, they can be disgusting, rowdy, and just downright stupid if they want.

Hubby lets them.
He even encourages it.

All these things are part of being a boy, and if they want to use a tote bin to play "tiny pool" with - fullyclothed, then they can just have at it.

It also seems that when Mom is around, there is a lot more tattling and a lot less letting things roll off your shoulders.
It seems a hit to the arm or bump on the head gets laughed off much more easily when I'm nowhere to be found.

Hubby usually has some boy time outside with Little Guy every evening while I clean up from dinner, but since Big Guy has been in town, he's started using one day a weekend to take the boys out to an activity while I stay home.

It's been great for me - peace and quiet to do laundry and clean, and great for them, because these are the times that the boys get to connect with their dad.

They can talk to him about things they may have already told me, or about things they may not feel comfortable talking about with me.

Yesterday, Hubby took the boys to the local pool for a few hours followed by a stop at a park.
Did they come home a little sunburned?
Yes.
Did they have a blast?You bet.